Google Chrome

Microsoft has been a little worried about Google and for good reason. Google's new web browser, Chrome, is the latest product offering by the company that's adamant that they're not taking over the desktop. For a first release Chrome isn't bad. It does everything a browser should do quite well.

• Rendering web pages: Its rendering engine seems like someone's slaved over it and has come up with a product that unlike safari is more concerned with showing up "real world" web pages as they were intended rather than just sticking to standards. It's able to show most pages very well and very quick.
• Speed: The browser is quick. A lot of browser claim they're fast but I've yet to come accross any browser that's as quick. I don't have figures as yet but its the perceived delay that matters to the ultimate user isn't it?
• Tabs as different processes: Helps, definitely helps in case one of the tabs crashes its not supposed to take the entire browser down. However I've had a case in which all of Chrome crashed!!!

Problems:

• Downloads: Didn't see an option to pause and restart downloads. Once I cancel a download there's no option to restart it either.
• The colours: Blue under XP... that's the only colour that the browser's tiny task area's available in and doesn't take the colours assigned in the OS and doesn't seem to support skins.

Wishlist:

• Full screen mode
• Easier access to plugins.

Just a note to people who go on about the integrated search in the address bar! IE and Firefox both have it in case you've not realized yet.

umount (but in windows)

Here's the command. Its similar to umount in linux.

rsm eject /pf"VOLUME_LABEL"

Some places where its useful.
- scripting automatic backup
- when your SA has too much power ;-)

Yahoo!

Since everyone's got an opinion about the takeover of yahoo by Microsoft, I thought I'd add my 2 cents worth in this $44 billion bid as well.
I'm one of the few who think Microsoft deserves every bit they've got because they've earned it by making sure they are besides agents of change also extremely good at the business they're in. Just imagine what the world would be like if there wasn't any Windows or Office. Would it have forced others to work this hard in making all the new operating systems and improving the user experience?
So keeping this in view I'm glad that Yahoo and MS are going to be one, however I'm also a big advocator of free and open source software and Yahoo has done a lot in that space and Microsoft hasn't been as open with its code base for most software they've put out.
The other problem is that Yahoo has done some really good stuff with certain companies they own, flickr being one major one and I just don't like the thought of flickr being owned by Microsoft. Maybe it'll be good and it'll become more open then again it might not and we might have to deal with Microsoft thinking they can make something better by using their products.
If Microsoft uses Yahoo as a pool of great programmers and set of great applications that they're going to support two thumbs up but one is left with the feeling that they won't be un-interfering parents.

The New Apple Wireless Keyboard

Every time I buy an Apple product I'm greeted by this really nice product that's been designed first but the engineers have put in the extra effort making sure that design works.
One gets the feeling that at Apple its not about who caused the problem and who's wrong but rather how a problem can be fixed.
Why am I all praises about apple? I just bought the new wireless keyboard from Apple. As soon as it was out of its sleek packaging I was amazed by how neat it was. Clean lines, laptop style keys.
Its not a full keyboard. Its missing the numeric pad but I think i can live with that. I've bought this to go with the new HTPC that i'm building that'll be sitting below the flat screen TV and I don't want a keyboard that's big and needs wires. I can see most ladies smile at this point, maybe that's what women want "No Wires"...
I've tried the keyboard with my iMac (new 20" core 2 duo) running Mac OS X and Windows XP. I've tried it with my windows XP PC that's hidden somewhere out of sight (i'm writing this review on that) and it works really well with all those.
Update: Just tried it with my Nokia N80 and it works really well with it as well. If i use this i'm sure my SMS are going to become LMS's... The only problem I found was that i couldn't find a 'Menu' button on the keyboard.

There is a bit of delay at times but for the most part it works flawlessly without missing out anything.
The other problem I found was that its got no indication of if its switched on or not and i'm assuming that's because they want to conserve power (the caps lock does have a LED)
I've still not been able to connect it to my phone so i guess that's next and i'll try a little more tomorrow.
Overall a sexy keyboard just like the one that comes standard with the iMac's without the numeric keypad.
Also note that the keyboard won't work if you choose to pair it without a key.

Pros:
- Worked on all computers i've tried (Windows, Mac OS X)
- Sleek and very sexy
- Works from across my room without a hitch
- Bluetooth so no software required.

Cons:
- A little slow at times
- Price: cost me Rs.2500 but that was because i bought the iMac from the same guy too otherwise the price is Rs.4500/-
- No numeric keypad.

overall score: 4.5/5

java check file existance

here's a simple function that checks to see if a file exists

--------------------------------------------------
public boolean exists(String filename) {
File file = new File(filename);
return file.exists();
}

--------------------------------------------------

Sennheiser PX 100

I just bought those today. I know this blog was supposed to be about code but I have decided, i might add other tech stuff up here as well. So here's my review of the Sennheiser PX-100.

First of all, if you enjoy music and have been listening to it on your portable music player using the ear buds or phones that came with it, its time for a change. These headphones are the perfect replacement for the stock ones that come with the players today. Yes! that does include the iPod. At $50 in the US and Rs.3400 in India these phones are priced well for the headphones of their quality.
As you can probably make out in the picture they're open backed which means they're not going to do a lot in terms of blocking out outside sounds which can be a bit of a concern in India but they do make these super efficient. In spite of the small size these produce really good bass and the output isn't bad either. The open approach also means if you've got your music up loud (turn it down) others can hear it too...
Coming to how comfortable they are, well i'd give them a 5/10 on that. if you're using these for long hours (i've had them on all day) you've got to keep removing them unlike the pair of altec's i also own which i can wear all day without even feeling them. The fact that they fold away are really neat though i'm not a 100% convinced that its entirely a safe, they don't give the feel of being bullet proof if you know what i mean. talking about build quality the wires feel like they could snap too (and they're not replacable) but i'll update you on that. Having said that, these do come with a years warranty which might come in handy in case something happens.
Overall besides the build of these things I'd recomment them to anyone without a second thought.
PS: I'll update you in sometime about how these are doing :)
PS2: I've got a set of Grado's on the way, can't wait ;-)

update: i've been using these headphones for the last few days and i'm really impressed. the bass is nice and crisp, the detail in the sound is better then some of the more expensive cans i've heard.
I'm constantly scared i'm going to snap the wire.

Google's Many Computers

Well, I know I was said i'll post only code here but here's some rather interesting news that I think is worth a mention. I'm a big fan of the google way... but what's amazing is that almost all of google.com is running off x86 processors. As you can imagine that'll require a vast number of computers which require lots of energy and space. Enter PeakStream the company that specializes in programming the graphics processor units or GPU's on our computers. If you've played any new game GTA or Need for speed or any such game you'll know that these processors have massive computing power these days.
How does all this fit into Google's plans? Well, cheap, multi-processor systems that use every bit of computing power available on the standard boxes available.
Maybe its just my mind, maybe google infact will do this, either way its a nice thought.

processor = gpu.getMorePower(); // hehe >:-)